


Take Care

by flowerfan



Category: Glee
Genre: AIDS, Discussion of OC death, M/M, The Normal Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-26
Updated: 2014-05-26
Packaged: 2018-01-26 14:49:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1692236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerfan/pseuds/flowerfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt, Blaine and Burt watch <i>The Normal Heart</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Take Care

Home for a visit in Lima over Memorial Day, Kurt and Blaine debated going out to a movie after they cleaned up from the barbeque extravaganza, but decided to stay in and watch television. They were due a little cuddle time, and besides, Blaine had been talking about wanting to see _The Normal Heart_ for weeks. Kurt figured they might as well watch it when it was actually on, instead of trying to catch up later. As the show began and they settled themselves on the couch in Kurt's living room, Burt came in and sat down in the armchair. "Mind if I join you?"

"Of course not, dad," Kurt replied, a little surprised. He figured Burt was just trying to be companionable and would quietly exit the room when he got bored. He didn't, though. He watched through the Fire Island scenes, the first death, the bathhouse, the men having sex together... All of it. Including the utter frustration and hopelessness, the lack of response from the government, the steadily growing pile of rolodex cards of friends and acquaintances who fell prey to the disease, and more deaths. At first Kurt felt self-conscious with his dad in the room, but by the time they had all passed around a box of tissues and Blaine was sniffling uncontrollably into Kurt's shoulder, it didn't seem to matter anymore.

After the credits rolled and Kurt turned off the television, they all sat in silence for a moment. "I had a cousin who died of AIDS," Burt said. "Your great-uncle Bob's son, Mark," he said, looking at Kurt. "Mark was a little older than me. I didn't know him that well, but he was always nice to me at family get-togethers. Tall guy, liked to dance and get silly with all the kids. I didn't see him that much after he went off to college in New York City."

"Like us," Kurt said quietly.

Burt nodded. "Like you.” Burt paused, remembering. “He wanted to be a college professor. Teach history, Russian studies, or something."

"Where did he teach?" Blaine asked.

"He didn't. He got sick and died before he finished college."

Kurt felt Blaine flinch and he reached out and took Blaine’s hand in his. “That’s awful.”

“Yeah, it really is.” Burt agreed.

The look on his father’s face made Kurt’s stomach hurt. "It's not the same now, dad. You don't have to worry about us."

"Don't have to worry?" Burt's voice was tight. "Of course I have to worry. You know as well as I do what a dangerous place this world is. And this disease is still out there. Sure, there's drugs for it, at least in this country, if you’re lucky enough to get them, but you can still get sick. You can have this forever. It never goes away.”

“Dad, we know,” Kurt insisted.

“We really do,” Blaine said. “And Burt, we've been tested. Recently, even. Kurt and I are both perfectly healthy," Blaine said, leaning forward to reassure Burt, still holding on to Kurt’s hand.

"You got tested?" Burt said, looking back and forth between them.

"Not that it's actually any of your business, dad, but yes. We did." Kurt didn't feel the need to mention Artie's test results.

"And you're being safe?"

Kurt sighed. "You do remember we're getting married, right? That's pretty much the definition of safe, as long as one of us doesn't develop a drug habit." And don't you dare say anything about cheating, he thought, or I will revoke your father of the year card.

Burt actually looked a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything. I know you guys are committed to each other. But sitting here with you, Kurt, watching this movie, thinking about Mark… I just realized I never talked to you about this. Sex, yeah, but not this. And this is important too." Burt stood up with a little groan, rubbing his hands on his thighs. "You two are gonna take care of each other, right? I mean, I hope to god neither of you ever get sick like that, or get cancer, or something else. No one should have to watch their partner die, not when they’re so young.” Kurt’s eyes filled with tears, knowing his father had been through exactly that. “But things are going to happen,” Burt went on. “Life is going to throw stuff at you that you don't expect, and it can be real hard. And when it does, when the bad things happen, I want you to promise me, both of you, that you'll take care of each other." 

Kurt felt Blaine squeeze his hand tightly as they both nodded. "Of course we will," Blaine choked out. Burt left the room with a gruff "good night, then" and Blaine dove in to Kurt, wrapping his arms around him and starting to tremble. "I'd always take care of you, you know that, right?" Blaine asked brokenly.

"I know you would. I would too. Always." Kurt thought about the horrible scenes in the movie where the main character had to watch the love of his life fade away, victim to a devastating, uncurable disease. He couldn’t bear to think about it. Kurt ran his hands over Blaine's back, feeling the strength in his body, the flesh on his bones. After a few minutes, when they had calmed down, Kurt stroked his hand along Blaine's cheek until he lifted his head up from where he had nuzzled it against Kurt's neck. "So," Kurt said. "I have to tell you - this was considerably more emotional than the sex talk."

Blaine laughed softly, wiping his eyes. "Your dad definitely has a way with words."

"That he does." Kurt extricated himself from Blaine's arms and got up, pulling him along with him. "Not that I'm not glad we had this talk, because 'for better or for worse, including but not limited to AIDS' is definitely going in our wedding vows now, but maybe we should watch something lighter tomorrow night?"

"Okay, but only because _The Fault In Our Stars_ hasn't come out yet."

"Very funny." 

Without much discussion, they stripped down to their briefs and got into bed, curling up tight against each other, looking for the reassurance of skin against skin. Kurt knew he wasn't going to be able to forget this movie anytime soon. As much as he and Blaine liked to believe that the world was a pretty good place these days, with civil rights and marriage equality busting out all over, it was important to remember just how recently things had been different, and how far there still was to go. He sighed and snuggled in closer to Blaine, prompting a sleepy “love you” and a responding squeeze from his fiancé. It was, no question, a scary world. Kurt knew without his father ever having to ask that Blaine would, in fact, take care of him no matter what. And although Kurt couldn’t prevent the world from hurting them, he vowed to do his best to take care of Blaine, too.


End file.
